Internet
As Internet usage increases, the amount of information available on the Internet also increases. The information that exists on the Internet is of many different types, including documents in many formats such as: computer software, databases, discussion lists, electronic journals, library catalogues, online information services, mailing lists, news groups, streaming media, and the like. Fortunately, much of the information on the Internet can be accessed through the World-Wide Web using a web browser to interact with the network in a user-friendly way.
Networks
Networks are commonly thought to consist of the interconnection and interoperation of clients, servers, and intermediary nodes in a graph topology. It should be noted that the term “server” as used herein refers generally to a computer, other device, software, or combination thereof that processes and responds to the requests of remote users across a communications network. Servers serve their information to requesting “clients.” A computer, other device, software, or combination thereof that facilitates, processes information and requests, and/or furthers the passage of information from a source user to a destination user is commonly referred to as a “node.” Networks are generally thought to facilitate the transfer of information from source points to destinations.
Transmission Control Protocol-internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
The proliferation and expansion of computer systems, databases, and networks of computers has been facilitated by an interconnection of such systems and networks in an extraterritorial communications network commonly referred to as the Internet. The Internet has developed and largely employs the Transmission Control Protocol-Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). TCP/IP was developed by a Department of Defense (DoD) research project to interconnect networks made by various and varying network vendors as a foundation for a network of networks, i.e., the Internet. The development of TCP/IP was in part driven by a requirement by the DoD to have a network that will continue to operate even if damaged during battle, thus allowing for information to be routed around damaged portions of the communications network to destination addresses. Of course, if the source or destination address location itself is rendered inoperable, such delivery will not be possible.
The Internet is a packet-switched network and thus, information on the Internet is broken up into pieces, called packets, and transmitted in packet form. The packets contain IP addressing information called headers, which are used by routers to facilitate the delivery of the packets from a source to a destination across intermediary nodes on the Internet. Upon arrival at the destination, the packets are reassembled to form the original message, and any missing packets are requested again.
The IP component of the protocol is responsible for routing packets of information based on a four byte addressing mechanism; the address is written as four numbers separated by dots, each number ranging from 0 to 255, e.g., “123.255.0.123”. IP addresses are assigned by Internet authorities and registration agencies, and are unique.
The TCP portion of the protocol is used for verifying that packets of information are correctly received by the destination computer from the source, and if not, to retransmit corrupt packets. Other transmission control protocols are also commonly used that do not guarantee delivery, such as User Datagram Protocol (UDP).
World Wide Web
The proliferation and expansion of the Internet, and particularly the World Wide Web (the web), have resulted in a vast and diverse collection of information. Various user interfaces that facilitate the interaction of users with information technology systems (i.e., people using computers) are currently in use. An information navigation interface called WorldWideWeb.app (the web) was developed in late 1990. Subsequently, information navigation interfaces such as web browsers have become widely available on almost every computer operating system platform.
Generally, the web is the manifestation and result of a synergetic interoperation between user interfaces (e.g., web browsers), servers, distributed information, protocols, and specifications. Web browsers were designed to facilitate navigation and access to information, while information servers were designed to facilitate provision of information. Typically, web browsers and information servers are disposed in communication with one another through a communications network. Information Servers function to serve information to users that typically access the information by way of web browsers. As such, information servers typically provide information to users employing web browsers for navigating and accessing information on the web. Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator are examples of web browsers. In addition, navigation user interface devices such as WebTV have also been implemented to facilitate web navigation. Microsoft's Information Server and Apache are examples of information servers.
Data Formats
The expansion of information technology and information delivery systems has furthered the expansion of content delivery systems. Various media outlets require the sharing of information. Various applications have been developed to serve the varied media outlets. Word processors, illustration programs, photo editing software, video editing software, web page creation software all create and save content in varied formats. Various conversion utilities have been developed to attempt to transfer content from one application format to another, but suffer from fidelity and formatting problems. Further complicating matters is that the varied media outlets offer content to varied output devices that have disparate output geometries that force content producers to manually tailor content for each of the device formats to which they wish to deliver their content. The development of XML based technology such as XML based style sheets allow content providers to manually create templates for each media outlet and device platform they wish to support.